ATP San Jose 2007 : Singles Final : Murray v Karlovic

Drew · Feb 18, 2007

ATP San Jose 2007 : Singles Final : Murray v Karlovic

imoen · Admin: Moderator+Tennis Legend

Drew wrote:

"Comparing both the year to date stats it is obvious where Ivo's strengths and weaknesses are. He wins 93% of his service games but only wins 7% of return games."

According to one of the Commentators last night during Jamie's match, Andy knows this stat (quoted it even) and one of the things he and Brad do it look at and learn the stats of the other players and build tactics and game plans around those stats.

I think Andy should win this in two. When Ivo reached the final at Queens he lost to Andy Roddick (in three I think might have been only two). So Andy Murray, fresh from beating said Roddick should walk it!

mkkreuk · Admin:Moderator + ATP qualifying

andy roddick beat ivo in straights at queens- god that was a boring match! if i remember correctly there wasnt a single break in the match and it got so bad that the commentators started heralding and rally that had more than 4 shots.

mkkreuk · Admin:Moderator + ATP qualifying

oh and i reckon andy will win this in two. He's a great returner and ivo isnt someone who will capitalise if andy doesnt get too many first serves in.

timmoore46 · Admin:moderator + Club Coach

It's 11pm tonight .

imoen · Admin: Moderator+Tennis Legend

That's good. I think I might watch that then.

Ratty · County player

I suppose you can't blame Karlovic for playing to his strength, but he really is the dullest player in the world to watch. Fish said that playing him "didn't feel like playing tennis" or something like that.

One of the things that drove the crowds away from tennis in the 80's and early 90's were the tedious ace-a-thons at Wimbledon between Sampras, Ivanisevisic, Krajicek, etc. Thank god they have slowed the courts down generally, but apparently the San Jose courts have been speeded up.

So, for the good of the sport, here's to a Murray victory!

scoobsuk · Club Coach

A lot may depend on how nervous Karlovic is about being in the final of an event since 2005 Queens, which he lost. If he's nervy his serve could go off and Murray will have his chances.

A lot will also depend on how patient Murray remains on the end of a barrage of aces :)

imoen · Admin: Moderator+Tennis Legend

I'm not sure it will be a barrage of aces from Karlovic. Andy is one of the best returners in the world and as I've said before, last night he was reading Roddick's serve before he'd even hit the ball. If he can get a read on Karlovic's serve he should get most of them back. Lots of guys have trouble returning Karlovic because it bounces so high due to his height but again Andy has a weapon against that in his ability to hit improvised shots all over the place, I think he'll be able to at least get the ball in play most of the time and then win the rallys.

As for a lot depending on Karlovic's nerves, very true. But the same can be said for the 19yr old trying to defend his first ATP title!

steven · Tennis legend

I'm stunned to see that Andy has got 60% first serves in so far this year - there must be a lot of matches where he gets 70%+ 1st serves in and we don't notice to make up for the dodgy serving displays in other matches!

Anyway, it's clear from the stats that Karlovic is unlikely to be able to take as much advantage of any dodgy serving by Andy as most other players manage to do and it's also clear that Andy is likely to have more chance of breaking Karlovic's serve than most other players do.

So, unless Andy gets too nervous (which I don't think he will) or comes out thinking a win is a foregone conclusion (which hopefully he won't), I think he's got every chance of winning in straights without even needing a tiebreak. I would imagine he's very happy that Karlovic is the player he's facing.

aria81 · Club Coach

imoen wrote:

According to one of the Commentators last night during Jamie's match, Andy knows this stat (quoted it even) and one of the things he and Brad do it look at and learn the stats of the other players and build tactics and game plans around those stats.

Andy's a tennis anorak - he loves the whole stats, win %, 'so and so from there was ranked at this number on this date and won his last match against him then' type stuff.

I think Andy should win this - although Karlovic is clearly playing well considering he knocked out Blake it's important not to be over confident or complacent, I think if Andy's return is on then it should be relatively comfortable. He's quite good against serve/volleyers anyway.

-- Edited by aria81 at 15:05, 2007-02-18

andyjmr · Intermediate Club Player

Benjamin Becker ran Karlovic reasonably close in the semi's, and I reckon if Andy can get enough returns in (which I think he can), Karlovic's confidence will take a knock ... after all, this is the man who when asked what his second best shot is, said: “After the serve I don’t need any.”

-- Edited by andyjmr at 16:07, 2007-02-18

imoen · Admin: Moderator+Tennis Legend

steven wrote:

I'm stunned to see that Andy has got 60% first serves in so far this year - there must be a lot of matches where he gets 70%+ 1st serves in and we don't notice to make up for the dodgy serving displays in other matches!

If you remember Andy was getting around 70% first serves in during Doha. It all started to go back downhill at the Aussie. Just hope he can go back to that

steven · Tennis legend

aria81 wrote:
Andy's a tennis anorak - he loves the whole stats, win %, 'so and so from there was ranked at this number on this date and won his last match against him then' type stuff.

What they don't know is that I have a direct feed to his IPod and feed him the stats, with Rob's help.

Oops, was that meant to be a secret?

Salmon · Tennis legend

Can't see Karlovic coming anywhere close to Andy tonight. A comfortable 63 63 win for me.